Turnbuckle



S P 1936- w. J. GOURLEY ET AL 2,053,522

TURNBUCKLE Filed Aug. 5, 1954 mmnmmmmmmam,

1407090 .1 aar/ay Fred H Bar/may Patented Sept. 8, 1936 'UNlTED STATESTURNBUCKLE William J. Gourley and Fred H. Barney, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application August 3,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in turnbuckles.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved turnbuckle,particularly adapted for use with rod lines of an oil well, and similaruses.

An important object of the invention is to'provide an improvedturnbuckle having means for easily and convenientlyrotating the body ofthe buckle to readily loosen or tighten said buckle, Without the use ofa wrench or other tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means on theouter side of the body of a turnbuckle arranged to be engaged by a baror rod to rotate said body, in such a manner that the bar or rod willnot interfere with the travel of the screw members of the buckle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved turnbucklehaving means on its traveling screw members whereby said members may beheld against rotation when the body of the buckle is revolved.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improvedturnbuckle having its traveling screws provided with rod heads at itsouter ends, whereby the usual rod clamps may be employed to readilyconnect said buckle to the rod lines of an oil well.

A still further object of the invention is toprovide an improvedturnbuckle having the outer ends of the traveling screws of saidbucklemade integral with the turtleback of the usual rod line clamp,whereby the ends of rod lines may be readily clamped to said screws.Each turtleback of. the clamps may be provided with means whereby thescrew may be held against rotation when the body of the buckle isrotated.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a turnbuckle constructed in accordance withthe invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same,

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged views of one of the traveling screws of thebuckle, showing different forms of means arranged to be engaged by abar, or pipe to prevent rotation of said screws,

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a 1934, Serial No. 738,185

traveling screw having the turtleback of a rod clamp made integral withitsouter end,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7, showing a ro line clamped to the end ofsaid screw,

Figure 9 is similar to Figure 8, showing a circular loop secured to theclamp instead of to the screw, and l Figure 10 is an enlarged view ofanother form of. the invention, wherein the loop is removable from thescrew.

In the drawing, the numeral 10' designates the body or link of aturnbuckle, said body being of the usual type including a pair of sidebars ll connected at their ends. Traveling screws l2 are threadedthrough bearing bosses l3 integral with the ends of the body. One of thescrews is provided with right hand threads while the other is providedwith left hand threads, whereby rotation of the body, while the screwsare held against rotation, will cause either inward or outward travel ofsaid screws.

Turnbuckles are used for various purposes and it has been foundadvantageous to use them in pull 'r'od lines which are used to connectthe pumping power with'the pump jack of an oil well. These lines areconstantly under strain and are sometimes a quarter of a mile in length.Varying weather conditions cause expansion and contraction of theselines and difficulty has been encountered in keeping said lines taut toget the full pumping stroke. The turnbucklesare employed to keep themtaut at all times. Furtherfthese buckles must be adjusted frequently anddue to the pull 'on' the lines, it has been necessary to insert a rod orbar between the side bars ll to obtain a leverage whereby the body ofthe buckle may be'rotated to adjust the buckle. Although this methodprovides suffi-' cie-nt leverage, the rod passing between the side bars'Il as well asbetween theinner ends of the screws interferes with thetravel of said screws within the body, and it is obvious that it wouldbe impossible to move the screws to their innermost position with thebar therebetween.

At the same time that the body is rotated, it is necessary to hold thescrews against rotation. The usual connection between each screw and therod line is through a hook and eye which, although providing a directconnection, is loose and not at all satisfactory. The usual method is toclamp the outer end of the screws with a wrench or other tool to preventtheir rotation when the body is being turned. It is difiicult to obtaina secure grip on the screws, and oftentimes the body and screw areconstructed with wrench holds made integral therewith. Further, theworkmen must at all times carry a wrench on his person and, should hefind himself without one, he might have to travel onefourth of a mile tothe tool house. This is not only inconvenient, but brings about anunnecessary waste of time.

In carrying out the invention, a pair of laterally directed loops aresecured to the side bars ll of the turnbuckle body and extendapproximately right angles to the plane of the body from opposite sidesthereof. Those loops may beo'f any desired shape and are preferablyconstructed of the same material as the body 10. It is preferable,although not essential, to form the loops integral with the body. A rodor bar (not shown) may readily be slipped through one of the loops toprovide sufiicient leverage for easily rotating the body. It is pointedout that although I have shown two loops, one on each side of the body,satisfactory results can 'be obtained with a single loop, the "two loopsmerely being provided for convenience.

A similar. loop '45 is secured to, being preferably made :integral with,each 'of the traveling screws 12. A suitable bar or red (not shown) maybe passed through these loops, whereby the screws maybe easily heldagainst rotation when the body 10 is rotated. The outer end of eachscrew is provided with a rod head 1-6, whereby the usual clamp I! may beemployed to fasten said screws to the rod lines 1a. It is 'clear thatthe provision -of the :loops provides for quickly and convenientlyadjusting the turnbuckle and .eliminatesthe necessity of forming wrenchholds on the :parts. Any rod, bar -or"similar member which :may be lyingnear the buckle, may be inserted through the' loops. By forming theheads [-6 on the ends of the screws I 2, a positive connection may behad between said screw and the rod lines.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown 'a variation of the invention. ln Figure4, an angular keeper 49 is substituted for'the-loop l5,-so that ascantling or any other lever can be readily swung under-said-keeper.In-Figure5, apin 20 which extends laterally -at approximately a rightangle from the screw, being preferably integral therewith, -is iprovidedand a :pipe or piece of tubing may easily be engaged over this pin 'tohold the screw against rotation. I 7

Figures '6, 7 and 8 show another form of the invention wherein the rodhead I6 is eliminated from the'outer end of each screw. In this-form,the outer end of the screw is made integral with the turtleback H of theclamp 11. With this arrangement, the rod 18 is easily and quicklyclamped to the screw. This form also has the loop 15. r

Figure '9 showsstill another form which is conmay readily be removed, ifdesired.

The description which has been given recites more "or less detail of aparticular embodiment of the invention, which is set forth as new anduseful; however, I desire it understood that the invention is notlimited tosuch exact details of construction, because it is manifestthat changes and modifications may be made, within the scope of theappended claims, without depanting from the spirit of the invention.

It is pointed out that in some :cas'es 'it may be found desirable toentirely eliminate the loops from either the body 'or the travelingscrews. Therefore, it would he within the invention to provide loops sonthe traveling :screws without forming any loops on the body, and'viceversa.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters-Pat'ent is:

1. A turnbucklecomprising a'body in the form of an Open link with twolongitudinal side portions and "screw receiving ends, a pair ofoppositely threaded screws inthe screw receivin'g ends of said body, andoutwardly projecting loops on the side portions of the body extendingtransversely of the plane of and on opposite sides of the side portions-for rotating the body whereby an implement 'projected'through a loop onone side portion will engage theopposite side portion and have a leveraction therewith in turning the body on the screws.

2. A turnbuckle comprising-a body in the form of :an open link with twolongitudinal side portions and-screw receiving ends, a pair ofoppositely threaded-screws -in the screw receiving-ends of said body,outwardly projecting loops on the side portions of the body extendingtransversely of the .-plane-of and on opposite-sides of the sideportions for rotating the body whereby an implement projected through--a loop on 'one side portion will engage the opposite side portion andhave a lever action therewith in turning the body on the screws,outwardly extending means on each screw for receiving an implement forholding the screws .against rotation, and separatemeans on the outerends of the screws for connecting the turnbuckle in a rod line or thelike.

WILLIAM J. GOURLEY. V FRED H. LBARNEY.

